Mariposa Sofa

Edward Barber & Jay Osgerby, 2014

The Mariposa Sofa radiates an inviting aura of spacious comfort – and yet maintains a subtly understated presence thanks to its balanced proportions. The sofa owes its extraordinary comfort, on the one hand, to the pleasantly soft upholstery, which completely surrounds the sitter and prevents contact with any hard structural elements. On the other hand, an ingenious adjustment mechanism makes it possible to individually tilt the side and backrest elements for various sitting or reclining positions.The name of the sofa refers to its refined functionality: the wing-like motion range of the soft, slender panels reminded the designers of a butterfly – 'Mariposa' in Spanish.

The Mariposa sofas offer solutions for a wide range of requirements in regard to size and spatial planning: the Mariposa Love Seat provides spacious seating for one person or – as the name suggests – a cosy spot for two love birds. The Mariposa 2-Seater is an ideal choice for small, urban apartments where it offers full comfort despite its compact dimensions. These two models come with one continuous seat cushion – in contrast to the larger 2½-seater and 3-seater versions of Mariposa: fitted with two seat cushions, these sofas invite users to stretch out lengthwise and use the adjustable armrests as a back or neck rest – for instance, as a relaxing place to read or take a nap.The range of sofas is complemented by round ottomans in two different sizes. They not only harmonise with the soft contours of the sofas, but also create even more ways to enjoy Mariposa's superb comfort.

Functional sofa

The Mariposa Sofa does not openly display its functional features: the slim side and back elements can be individually adjusted – continuously and silently – from an upright position to an outward angle of approximately 30° and back again. The resistance is calibrated in such a way that these elements stay in place when the sitter leans back in a normal manner, but will adjust to the desired angle when intentional pressure is applied. This flexibility allows individual users to determine the position that is most comfortable for them.Combined, these design elements create an oasis of soft, snug comfort. This is further emphasised by the new fluffy cotton velour fabric Harald. From 1 September 2018 until 31 December 2019 only, Harald is available in a range of vibrant colours, which create striking accents in any interior.Thanks to the unusual depth of the seat surface, two people can sit on either end and comfortably face each other – to carry on a conversation or share a cosy spot for reading. With these special features, the Mariposa Sofa offers an inviting place to prop up your feet and relax.

Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby studied architecture as fellow students at the Royal College of Art in London. Since that time, their collaborative work has probed the interface between industrial design, furniture design and architecture.